Launched in 2008, the Participatory Slum Upgrading Programme (PSUP) targets to improve the living conditions in towns and cities and positively contribute to Millennium Goal 7, Target 11, to improve the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers by the year 2020. Currently, there are 38 countries and 63 cities across Africa, Caribbean and Pacific States (ACP) participating in the programme.

The programme's purpose is to strengthen capacity of local, central and regional institutions and key stakeholders' in settlement and slum improvement through the use of good governance and management approaches, pilot projects and contributing, where needed, to the policy development, and the implementation of institutional, legislative, financial, and normative and implementation frameworks.

To contribute to meet these challenges, the PSUP programme seeks to harmonize with local and national stakeholders on key slum upgrading projects through initiating the creation of a network for regional slum upgrading challenges. For this purpose, regional training and policy seminars on the programme's concept, themes and methods will be organized with all involved stakeholders. The programme also aims to support local and national authorities in identifying adequate funding to carry out specific activities.

The PSUP is being implemented through a tripartite partnership between the European Commission, the ACP Group of States, and UN-Habitat.